episode_0136

The next day, we went to Irene. We needed to devise tactics to make better use of our numbers.

“Tactics?”

“Yeah! We want to use our numbers more wisely!”

Fighting a super-heavy tank in our imaginations was fun, but it gave us food for thought.

Our existing attack method was no different from swarming an enemy and beating them senseless.

However, in a world overflowing with advanced technology and powerful individuals, a wise fighting style was necessary.

“What if a powerful Hunter of A-class or higher appears?”

“Heavy equipment or high-grade monsters would also be a headache.”

I imagined a scene in my head: brave mouse Violettes attacking an elephant.

The mouse Violettes formed ranks, raised their spears and swords, and charged at the elephant.

“Squeak! Hit—Stab!”

Unfortunately, unlike the rumor, elephants are not afraid of mice. The mouse Violettes soon became dried mouse jerky.

“Screech—Screech! Run—Run away!”

Simulation failed.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized numbers alone weren’t enough. I confided these concerns to Irene.

Irene listened to my words, pondered for a moment, then spoke.

“So, you’re curious about group tactics? Like the Helios Clan’s operational methods. Well… I don’t know if that will be much help.”

“Huh? Why? Is it perhaps a secret?”

“No, not at all! It’s a method everyone already knows, so there’s no big problem in telling you. However… what Violette wants is military tactics, right? But the way the Clan’s Hunters operate is a little different from military methods.”

Irene continued her explanation. According to her, Hunters’ battles are longer and slower than actual combat.

“It’s fine for low-grade or mid-grade monsters. The problem is when we’re hunting high-grade monsters or dangerous awakened criminals. Why do you think we’re called ‘Hunters’? We’re not fighters. We’re hunters.”

Ultimately, from the perspective of Hunters whose goal is to earn money, slowly tracking and exhausting the enemy is the most stable method. It reduces the chance of injury, and you have to survive to earn more money.

“Have you ever heard of the ‘whale hunting tactic’?”

“Ah! I think I have!”

I entered the factory with Irene. The tables and chairs were pushed into a corner, revealing a spacious area.

“First, I’ll explain the concept. It’s probably best to practice in a deserted dungeon.”

A platoon of Violettes stood in neat rows and columns in front of Irene.

“Actually, it’s not much of a tactic. It’s incredibly simple. You pour multiple shots from long range, then melee attackers immediately rush in and repeatedly attack the enemy. When the enemy’s strength wanes? You deliver a powerful blow, like harpooning a whale. The key is that there shouldn’t be any time difference in the role exchange between ranged attackers and melee attackers. Understand?”

“Mm-hmm! I understand!”

Irene let out a small laugh at our reply.

“Violette will be able to master this tactic easily. There’s no time difference in your communication, right? You’ll pick it up quickly. Alright. Now, let’s start with the basic stances…”

The Violettes spread out as Irene instructed. Irene took the role of the enemy, and we took the role of surrounding her. We charged in all at once. First, we planned to learn how to form an encirclement in close combat.

-Thump!

A moment later, we were thrown to the floor.

“Ugh! So fast!”

“Her skill is too outstanding. How on earth do we wear her down?”

We recalled the previous attack incident. Come to think of it, the tactics of those who targeted Irene must have been similar. Now that I see it, they must have been true masters. They almost completely subdued Irene.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind: what if we simulated the enemy’s actions?

“From now on, I’m Irene!”

A Violette wearing a purple wig appeared within the network. The Irene-cosplaying Violette held a spear and mimicked Irene’s movements in real-time.

The goal was simple: mimic Irene’s actions and then find a way to break through.

“It’s a bit clumsy, but I think I’m starting to see a solution…”

While the real Violettes fought Irene, the battle against the fake Irene continued in the virtual world.

“I don’t know…”

After several hours of training, we felt like we understood it, yet we still didn’t quite get it.

“You don’t know? But you seem to have a rough understanding of movements, formations, and the importance of tactics, right?”

“But we can’t beat Irene.”

“That’s because there’s no ranged attacker support. It’s obvious, isn’t it?”

She shrugged.

During the break, the Violettes drank water and chatted. They talked about the state of the world, future plans, or what to have for lunch.

Violette 712 suddenly asked, as if something had just occurred to her.

“Hey everyone. Don’t you feel something strange lately? I suddenly want to swing a sword after shooting a gun. Is it just me?”

Other Violettes listened to 712’s words and pondered. Soon, the Violettes’ eyes widened as if something had dawned on them.

“That’s right! I keep wanting to swing a sword!”

“Gasp! Me too. Why is that?”

The Violettes tilted their heads. Lately, whenever they saw an enemy, they’d want to run up and decapitate them, even after shooting their guns. Had they developed a competitive spirit?

“I feel restless!”

Perhaps it was because they won every day. They had come to enjoy the thrill of battle.

Even back at the lab, harming people had felt indifferent to them, but now that they wanted to use swords, perhaps they were gradually becoming more violent.

“Still, let’s restrain ourselves. Charges should only happen when necessary.”

At Violette 1’s words, the Violettes nodded silently. Courage and recklessness were different. They shouldn’t overdo it. Because they, the Violettes, were wise!

I shook off the lingering thoughts. Break time was over.

The Violettes called their friends together again and began mock training and sparring.

***

While the Violettes trained with simulations, a wall in an overlooked corner of the network rippled slightly, like waves on the water’s surface.

Soon, one corner gently opened as if wallpaper was peeling, and a tiny girl crawled out.

‘…How long did I sleep?’

Mini Violette rubbed her sleepy eyes and surveyed her surroundings. There was no one around.

The girl crawled out of the hole, emerging from her hideout within the network. She carefully looked around.

This mental space, called the Violette Network, could easily have gaps created with a little manipulation.

‘I pushed myself too hard in the last duel.’

What she had done recently was no different from a larva emerging from its cocoon before its body had fully matured.

She had made a mistake trying to have a bit of shallow fun. Whether it was a consequence of that or not, she couldn’t move freely.

To recover her strength, she had to rest slowly.

Mini Violette stood up and looked around. This place, which had been a large city when she fell asleep, now resembled a rural village. The scenery here always changed whenever she woke up from sleep.

Suddenly, Mini Violette frowned. The noise of thoughts and emotions spreading throughout the network was too loud.

‘Noisy…!’

Mini Violette unknowingly ground her teeth. The girl’s face twisted into a grotesque expression, hard to believe it belonged to such a young girl.

“Thus said the prophet, ‘Why have you turned the Savior’s temple into a den of thieves? Why have you made the house of all into a lair of beasts?’”

The girl recited a passage from a forgotten ancient scripture. She was an atheist who believed gods and faith were worth less than a scrap of toilet paper, but in this situation, where the remnants of an abandoned old faith intertwined so perfectly with her circumstances, she felt both admiration and irritation simultaneously.

‘This was my home! My space. You thieving bitch, you fake slut who deserves to be torn to pieces, you illegal squatter bastard…!’

When she had been the sole owner of this place, it was an elegant and beautiful, unchanging temple and palace of its master.

But now, it had become a noisy, messy nest for yellow-haired bugs with no culture or style.

Mini Violette absolutely could not accept that fact.

‘But why am I angry?’

For a moment, she was bewildered. Why was this hers? What had she done?

Though Violette herself vaguely sensed it, she was like an unwrapped gift box and an unfinished novel.

The fortunate thing was that as these illegal squatters grew, she, too, gradually regained her original color.

The wrapping slowly unraveled, and she felt the incomplete chapters being filled in.

Nevertheless, there were still gaps remaining, as if gnawed by mice.

Mini Violette moved about, secretly observing the Violettes’ village.

She moved cautiously, using the skills she had learned while in the organization. However, there were simply too many Violettes.

In a corner of an alley, she came face to face with Violette 319.

Violette 319 cried out in surprise.

“Oh! You! What are you? That kid from back then! Who are you?!”

The girl felt a surge of irritation. These foolish things, if they sensed even the slightest abnormality, would tenaciously dig into it, like an immune system tracking an external invader.

While 319 was shouting, Mini Violette snapped her fingers. The connection was temporarily severed. She quickly ran over and struck 319’s head.

“You didn’t see anything. Forget it!”

“Ugh! Get off me!”

319 struggled to shake off the girl clinging to her. Even as her memories were being erased, 319 instinctively launched an attack.

“Uwaaah!”

Unfortunately, Mini Violette was small and weak. A fist flew into the defenseless girl’s chest. The girl was sent flying and rolled on the floor. It was the second time this had happened.

‘It hurts!’

Though brief, Violette’s pride was wounded.

‘Me… crying out like a fool like this? Me?’

The scream she had just let out reminded her of the weakness of her childhood, etched beyond memories and voids. Humiliating moments she wanted to forget. Days of shame.

‘My strength… I need to recover quickly!’

While 319 was dazed, Mini Violette escaped the area.

‘Once my strength recovers…’

The girl slowly inhaled and exhaled, controlling her anger. It wasn’t time yet. She continued to spy while awake.

As she walked through the alley, the girl fell into thought.

‘Should I deal with that noblewoman first?’

She recalled an old nemesis from her blank memories.

A duel against an aloof archer with shimmering golden hair and violet eyes in a burning academy. After breaking through a furious barrage of arrows, a flaming rapier greeted her.

‘Damn it, how did I end up getting close to that crazy monster slayer bitch again? I didn’t even know we were at the same school.’

The girl remembered: the barrage of artillery fire that rained down like meteors while she ran atop a tall building. The monster slayer’s close-quarters combat ability was terrible, but the massive bolt attacks flying from kilometers away were chilling. It was truly terrifying to see multiple clones disappear with a single bolt shot accompanied by maniacal laughter.

‘No, first I have to make an example out of that damn doctor girl! She needs to be impaled on a skewer!’

She replayed the list of individuals who had annoyed her. The healing witch who had held her back, the scholarship officer, the 120-year-old mage hag, her former superior, the Hunters, the Fixers, and countless other humans…

Imagining revenge made her feel good. Mini Violette hummed to herself as she headed towards the main road where the Violettes were gathered.

The Violettes were gathered in front of a screen, watching something.

‘What is that?’

Mini Violette looked at the screen. Beyond the screen, in the real world, dozens of Violettes surrounded a bulky boy.

Immediately after focusing, Mini Violette’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

‘What the hell are those bitches doing? And that big guy. He looks very familiar….’

The boy on the screen hesitated and stepped back. Each time, the Violettes on the screen would grab him and frantically whisper something into his ear.

“Granite, from now on, you will become a proud warrior of blood! A warrior of courage!”

“Let’s become revolutionary warriors! Brave fighters for the revolution!”

“Skulls! Blood! Violence!”

Mini Violette was dumbfounded by the bizarre scene, something even the Obsidian Legion headquarters had never seen.

The girl muttered.

“…What utter nonsense.”

Her bewilderment lasted only a moment before Violette felt a sense of exhaustion. It was time.

She had to go back into hiding before the other ‘fake’ Violettes found her. She quickly slipped into the periphery, pulled up a corner of the space, and crawled into the hole.

When would she wake up again after falling asleep this time? A few hours, or a few days?

Mini Violette curled up and closed her eyes. The commotion outside still continued.

“Alright, try to follow. ‘I am a true man!’”

“’I like skulls! I like blood!’”